Mr Karadzic, who faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity relating to the 1992-95 Bosnia war, has vowed to boycott the opening. His defiant protest is directed at what he believes is a rush to justice that denies him sufficient time to prepare his defence.

Despite Karadzic's promise not to show up to court today, around 160 Muslim survivors of the war have made the long journey to the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague to see proceedings finally get underway, 14 years after the end of Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War Two.